The Diameter protocol is a next generation authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) protocol. The Diameter base protocol is defined in IETF RFC 6733, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Commonly used within the Internet multimedia subsystem (IMS) architecture, the Diameter protocol was derived from the remote authentication dial-in user service (RADIUS) protocol. Historically, the RADIUS protocol was employed by Internet service providers (ISPs) to provide a secure communication channel between an ISP's access server and a secure location where user credential information was stored, e.g., a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server. While the RADIUS protocol provided a standardized AAA exchange protocol, the emergence of new technologies and applications necessitated the development of a protocol capable of meeting ever-changing demands. Diameter aims to extend the standardized approach of RADIUS while providing expanded functionality and remaining open to future development.
The above-referenced Diameter RFC does not specify a method for load (e.g., connections) distribution when a Diameter element includes a distributed architecture. Accordingly, a need exists for methods, systems, and computer readable media for peer aware load distribution.